And as if that wasn’t impressive enough, he has worked endlessly to raise funds and awareness for kidney research, something he admitted he has been “very successful” in, with no show of false modesty.

“I now do speeches at various events and at schools as well about the importance of keeping fit and healthy, looking after yourself and also that if you have a critical illness, like kidney disease or cancer or anything else, it doesn’t have to stop you from doing what you do,” he told Orfi.

“Your life doesn’t stop. I’ve spoken to a lot of patients who’ve had kidney transplants and they think that after the transplant that’s it, their life’s over.

“But that’s not true, it’s just about keeping healthy. It’s great to keep getting out and staying healthy, and because basketball is my baby, that’s what I do.”

Dealing with kidney disease

Douglin, now 53, described how people approach him to ask about kidney disease – in his own words “it’s silent, no one knows about it”.

And while his work so far to raise awareness has been admirable, he knows there is still plenty to do.

“There’s a lot of connections that are being made between kidney research and sports activities,” he said.

“I’ve got the vehicle and now I’m using that to raise awareness, and it’s been very successful. I’ve got a tool to use to raise awareness, and I’ve always loved basketball, so it’s great to use that to raise awareness.

“Kidney transplants only last on average about ten to 12 years, so there’s the chance that I’ll need a second donor at some point.

“And I have four children and four grandchildren, the likelihood of one of those needing a kidney is higher as well, as the disease I have may be congenital.

Now in its fifth year, it is growing fast, with teams from Britain, America and Canada being joined by others from across Europe and Asia – not to mention teams from Pakistan, Tunisia and Malaysia who missed out.

“I was surprised that so many different teams wanted to come over to play basketball in this country, it blew me away,” said Douglin.

“And the calibre of players these teams were bringing was immense, players who had played at the top level around the world.

“The thing is, a lot of players coming out of the American college system may not make it into the NBA, so then they have to look for opportunities elsewhere, often in Europe.

“So my tournament is becoming known worldwide as an opportunity for players to showcase themselves and get a foothold in Europe. They’re seeing how big the tournament has got.

“Last year we had ten teams, and I must have turned away ten or 15 teams who wanted to get involved.”

A true Orfi Hero

As a Sussex Sports Awards volunteer of the year winner in 2018 and unsung hero finalist in 2019, it’s clear that Eric’s passion for sport has been felt by many.

It’s a pleasure to have Eric as our newest Orfi Hero and to tell his inspirational story.